I get inundated on a daily basis with all kinds of requests. People and organizations think I have nothing better to do with my time than to repost their press releases, promote their events or causes or whatever. This request to share a job posting is just so weird that I had to put it up. The job’s not weird. Jstreet is looking for a “seasoned organizer, manager, and leader to serve as its first National Field Director.” The National Field Director will help run J Street’s National Grassroots and Field Program, to be launched in early 2010. This will be a key component of its integrated campaign to demonstrate significant support for President Obama’s Middle East peace initiative in the coming 18-24 months.

But why on earth did they ask us to post this? I mean we’re all in favor of peace and I think most of us welcome President Obama’s desire to achieve peace in the Middle East, but that desire will not grant him a free pass. We’re not going to turn off our critical faculties just because we share certain goals. And JStreet… we’ve been a tad critical of them, so much so that I have no idea what they were thinking sending us this job posting request. But I have a very keen appreciation for the absurd and so I feel compelled to post it here after the bump. Good luck to all interested prospective National field Directors!

National Field Director
J Street Education Fund
Washington, DC

J Street, the pro-Israel, pro-peace lobbying and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC, is recruiting a seasoned organizer, manager, and leader to serve as its first National Field Director.

J Street believes that Israel’s most vital security interest is to reach a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Its mission is to change the dynamics of American politics regarding Israel and the Middle East, to promote the peaceful resolution of Israel’s conflicts with its neighbors, and to open up greater debate and discussion in the American Jewish community and the broader American community on what it means to be pro-Israel. J Street seeks to promote American leadership to resolve conflicts in the Middle East through diplomacy and achieve security for Israel and the United States through peace.

This is an outstanding opportunity for an individual who is an effective advocate and spokesperson and is committed to Israel, to progressive Jewish values, and to grassroots organizing. The Field Director will be part of the senior management team of a young, fast-growing nonprofit organization that, in its second year, has a budget of $3 million and a staff of 18. Further growth is anticipated in 2010.

The J Street family of organizations includes J Street – a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that is responsible for lobbying and advocacy; JStreetPAC – a legally independent and unconnected federal political action committee that endorses and raises money for federal candidates; and the J Street Education Fund – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs education programs on campuses, speakers tours, and trips to Israel. The National Field Director will be an employee of the J Street Education Fund. For more information about J Street, please go to www.JStreet.org.

J Street’s National Grassroots and Field Program, to be launched in early 2010, will be a key component of its integrated campaign to demonstrate significant support for President Obama’s Middle East peace initiative in the coming 18-24 months. Reporting to the Executive Director, the National Field Director will hire, lead and manage a staff of 3-4 Field Organizers as well as an Administrative Assistant. Within the first 3 months it is expected that this Director will have developed and implemented a strategic national grassroots and field program that builds momentum in local chapters and the Jewish community around resolving the Arab-Israeli and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts through diplomacy, and that complements J Street’s lobbying and advocacy work in Washington, DC.

Given the critical and time sensitive nature of J Street’s goals, we seek an experienced, strategic, results-driven field and grassroots organizer who, among other attributes, possesses: a minimum of 10 years successful experience managing field operations for a political campaign, an issues campaign, or directing multi-dimensional grassroots organizing and advocacy; understanding of the role of grassroots and field organizing in a 21st century issue campaign; proven ability to articulate and execute a strategic, focused, and successful campaign or program on a short timetable; keen understanding of how to manage movement of people from online to offline organizing; charisma to bring diverse constituents from across the country together behind a shared vision; willingness and ability to travel.

APPLICATIONS: Due to the pace of this search, candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, but no later than September 30, 2009. Applications including a cover letter, your resume (in Word format), salary history and where you learned of the position should be sent to: [email protected]. Please type your name (Last, First) as the only contents in the subject line of your e-mail.

J Street is an equal opportunity employer.

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About the author

ck

Founder and Publisher of Jewlicious, David Abitbol lives in Jerusalem with his wife, newborn daughter and toddler son. Blogging as "ck" he's been blocked on twitter by the right and the left, so he's doing something right.

4 Comments

  • I just submitted my application. It includes several pictures of me:

    Jack with Groucho glasses.
    Jack dressed up as an ostrich.
    Jack smeared in spich chumus.

    In addition I included my list of the top seven songs I would serenade Abbas and Hamas with, not to mention three jokes I would tell.

    Can’t wait to get onto the payroll.

  • Do you think they could remove the word “progressive” from the job description? Cuz I’d be perfect otherwise. 😉

  • Don’t grant Obama a “free pass,” fine– as long as you refrain from openly criticizing him. Anything but that.